ShipsLog

I make a lot of promises to myself at funerals. I am going to worry less, I am not going to take everything so serious that I cannot sleep. I am going to enjoy life and as they say “Smell the Roses”. Well today it was Smell the honey suckles, I love them. Brought some in the house to try to keep the smell.

How do you do funerals where you are? Let me tell you about Buck’s. It is too bad Buck was not here to see his funeral, he would have been proud. There was a couple songs, they sang my favorite, “Beulah Land”. As I sat there, memories in my heart, tears in my eyes and straining to hear the song. They could have sung it 5 more times and I would have loved it.

We sat with an old friend of ours, Delores. Wonderful lady who lost Luther, a great man, a few months ago. We were traveling and missed the funeral. She said she still loved me.

The lead vehicle was a giant “DUMP TRUCK”, escorting the Hearse. His buddy, Jamie Farr, cleaned & waxed the Dump Truck, it looked great as it proceeded Buck to the Cemetery.

I wish old Buck coulda seen it. It was a fitting touch. It was probably the exact vehicle he died in. He would have been proud.

Do you still have weeping and wailing over the casket orthe corpse? Living in a Parsonage I attended many funerals and wakes growing up. For some reason I felt that was an expression of love (the wailing and weeping) and was kinda nice. I have seen someone wailing and stop the casket from leaving the church to be buried. I thought it showed the world they cared.

THEREFORE I have instructed my family I want a lot of it. I want tears to rain on me, mess up my makeup. I want some screaming, “Ah, he was such a great guy, he just can’t be gone!!!” I want them to borrow some medals from my brother and nephews for my uniform. Make up some great stories of how great a hero I was. Shoot I am just sorry I can’t be around to see it. My funeral is going to be remembered (for at least a week). I have promises from my grand daughter, on my tomb stone is to be inscribed,

“HERE LIES JACK IN A BOX”

Nite ShipsLog

This is Column #195. BY: Ken Herron, columnist. Ken spend many years in the Middle East, is the author of several books, the latest, “Amos in the Islamic Holy land”. Story of a Christiam under Muslim Law.

By the way, both Senators talk about the changes that they are going to make to improve the country. Both of them have been in the Senate for several years. Neither of them have offered a single legislative bill to solve any of the nations problems they are now talking about. If either of them becomes President I guess the biggest change will have to come in the one of them that wins the nomination. They have to convince their Senate friends to introduce and support their new laws that they would not introduce when they were Senators.

Nite ShipsLog

PS: Not my regular entry style, but good stuff to think on.

Next entry… How do you do Funerals?

I had decided to print Cousin Ken's news paper column on the ShipsLog today, I haven’t asked him yet so I reconsidered. I try to stay at 500 words per entry, Ken’s is just over a 1000. I will put it on tomorrow. Ken is a Republican. Now me? I was a Democrat, then a Republican, then an Independent, then back to Republican now leaning to the Libertarian way of thinking.

My dearest friend is a Democrat. He still does not realize the Democratic party left him 30 years ago. He does not believe 80% of what the Democrats stand for, but is still a died in the wool DEMOCRAT, and I love him.

Anyway I have only one friend who is a Lawyer, she is a wonderful lady. I used to take my grand daughter to a closing just for her to see how a lady can operate. Vickie, an attorney, is great. She makes a dry closing interesting. There are several attorneys with whom I have done business and we are acquainted, but not really friends. One attorney, Jim, has made a bad decision business wise. He has an ‘Obama for President’ sign in front of his house. A smart business man keeps his politics to himself. It would have made no difference if it was Hillary or Mc Cain, that is not a smart business move. Many times during the business transactions, I was not pleased with how many attorneys think. As a whole I just cannot admire Lawyers. That is why Ken’s column interested me.

Have you ever thought of how many presidential aspirees are lawyers? Anyway in tomorrows entry I will print Ken’s column. It is good reading, of course if you are a dyed in the wool Democrat you will not like it, so you guys will have to forgive me, I just ain’t crazy about lawyers. I feel they are more Amoral than honest. You can say that about some business men, but at least they put their life’s savings on the line to be in business, and do not depend on torts & compromise to keep them going.

It is a strange fact that Hillary Clinton & President Bill, 8 years ago I think was worth about $800,000 dollars. Now, in 8 years she is able to loan herself 11 million dollars. Baby that is good money for never holding a job that paid over $150K a year.

Aw, I am just on a soap box cause Attorneys bother me.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite ShipsLog

PS:

This is Luke Pitching.  He also catches and is a very good hitter.  A good all round baseball player.

Our Grandson Luke Vegas came by to visit yesterday afternoon. That is a rarity for us. We aren’t around that much for a visit from Grandchildren. I got my home made sling shot out and we shot at a plastic bucket and a tire swing. His bicycle has no brakes, he uses his shoe. Works great, he can stop as fast as brakes.

Do you remember a TV series called “the Guns of Will Sonnett”? Jack bought the series for me a few days ago. Luke and I sat and watched the first episode together. Then it was time for him to go home. I questioned which one? I hate that question. Since Mark and Corinne got divorced things just haven’t been good for the kids nor the parents. It is easy to miss Corinne, she is such a sweet lady and was a wonderful daughter in law. I think marriages today are just not founded ‘forever’ as they once were.

Up until I was 16 I only knew of one divorce. No, not in the family, I mean I just had personal knowledge of ONE divorce in my life up ‘til then, anybody! Now sad to say in our family with two boys we have faced 4 divorces, a sad statement for our society (and our family). I saw my first ‘For my Step Mother on Mother’s Day’ card in a rack today.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand some marriages should dissolve, but it doesn’t make me any happier. I always wanted my boys to be more successful than I, and I wanted them to be as happy as I am.

Did you know that Hurricanes and Cyclones are basically the same? As best I can find out they are.

Do you like Andy Rooney? I like the guy sometimes. Once years ago when we watched TV, he made a statement I completely agreed with.

He said we have very good PR people in this country. We should hire a good Advertising firm to sell America to the World. Honestly it could be done and it would change our world image.

Thanks for coming by the LOG.

Nite ShipsLog

PS:

-
Ronald Reagan

        (This is Buck and I at the furnace of a Castle in Germany)       

Buck Johnson, a prince of a man.

I met Buck a few years ago. I met him when we attended a new church. We had built a house in Mt. Holly and moved there, then started attending church where they attended. A man you cannot help but like. Always in a good mood, never ever talked negative about anyone. His face was made for a smile, and he always wore one.

Just happened that Buck was a heavy equipment operator. From that time on he did 90% my grading work. He cleared the land we are parked on right now come to think of it. I remember he bent an exhaust pipe on the loader here. Old Buck could ‘pick you teeth’ with a back hoe as the saying goes. Working is a pleasure around men like Buck.

I have always been a working contractor, I loved to smell the dirt being turned and the wood being cut. Buck was that kind of man also. He & his wife Alice became very close friends of ours. Once years ago the airline tickets dropped to about $178 round trip to Frankfurt Germany. At church one Sunday I said to Buck, “Hey you want to got to Germany?”

“Ain’t never been, why not?”

Fourweeks later we four were on a plane to Frankfurt. We rented a car and drove To Belgium, Paris, Switzerland and back to Germany. We had a ball. Many stories, many memories.

We received a call from Jim Dawes today. We met Jim and his wife Gelina at the same time we met Buck and Alice. Jim said they found Buck sitting in his dump truck, after making a delivery the engine was still running and he had had a massive heart attack. Buck is GONE!

Just a few days ago Mort (an internet friend) was saying a brother (Mark) of a close friend had passed on. Mark was in his 40’s if I remember right. I told Sherry then we just never know, and we certainly DO NOT! I’ve known Buck for years, I don’t even know what his real name is. I assumed he was my age, I don’t even know how old he was. None of that mattered, I just loved the guy the way he was.

Here I salute and say good bye to a wonderful true friend. May you have fair winds and following seas as you cross the last divide. Love you Buck. See you in eternity!

Thanks for coming this way, please remember Alice and the family in your prayers.

Nite ShipsLog

PS:

Just grow a flower garden for Buck! Click the site below, then click the blank screen. Think of Buck.

I am crying!!! When I see Diesel prices keep climbing I see all those places I want to go just getting further away. Maybe it is time to park the motor home and start flying. I will have to discus this with my navigator.

When we lived here in another life, we had two swings hanging in the trees. We spent most every evening just sitting and swinging in the shade. We had some of our best conversations there. Yesterday Sherry and I sat in the only swing left. It was so relaxing just swinging and talking.

Talking has always been something we treasure, and has gotten us through some truly rough times. Swinging and talking, and walking and talking has always been a boost to our marriage. We like each other, we are close. We live close and are seldom over a few feet apart. Right now I take comfort and a lot of pleasure in that I can see Sherry in the bed reading. I have perks a lot of married guys do not have. I won’t enumerate, but there is no privacy here when she gets ready for bed. Somehow I manage to get into the bed room just before she turns back the covers! What a joy for an old man.

Today I was hauling a few wheel barrows full of dirt to repair areas where erosion has taken place over the past few years while we have been gone. I was thinking of my girl, and what all she has done in the last 50+ years. Once I left her and went overseas. We could not travel together. Later she had to have the household goods packed, ship them to me. Ship the car. Get her and two young boys to the terminal for the military flight. She did it all without ONE hitch. I am one lucky guy.

What I was thinking today was: Women are saddled with a lot to do, but Military wives are doubly hit. I have known women with three or four kids, some in diapers. Leave the East Coast and travel to the Far East making connections shipping etc. handling delays. You gotta give it to the Girls, they are gutsy.

Thanks for coming this way.

Nite ShipsLog

PS: Just for you girls!

Don't imagine you can change a man - unless he's in diapers.

If he asks what sort of books you're interested in, tell him check books.

Shirl was there!

Friends, what a nice thing. Sunday evening Vondale and Rose dropped by, just a few minutes later Don & Evelyn came. Shirl is already here. We sat outside the Motor home and visited for a long time. Shirl knows everyone also. She knows Vondale from way back when he and I ran together as kids.

Don & Evelyn were there..................

Vondale and Rose were there (taken at their house on Baden Lake)(nothing else would upload)

A lot of joking and fun. Sherry had an Edwards Lemon Pie to cut for us, but Rose brought a Cake and a pie from there family reunion. Sherry served the cake with ice cream (Lo Fat) and coffee.

Shirl brought down a picture from her wedding. Vondale and I were ushers. Smart aleck made a comment that he did not know he was that much taller than Jack. I said yeah you were standing on a box and beside I was much better looking. EVERYONE agreed with ME (of course they did not say that, but I knew they all knew it!)

Rose, Sherry & Evelyn graduated in the same class here in Belmont, so they have a lot in common. In this motor home there are five books that always travel with us and are sacred. They are the Bible and four Belmont High School Year Books. These girls cannot get together with out the Year Books coming out. (There is another Year Book up there. I did manage one year book in High School, BUT NOBODY EVER ASKS TO SEE IT!) Ah they look and laugh at how much better looking they are than all the rest etc. They nearly cry over the ones who have passed on. They do not say it of course, but they are most proud that they were so much luckier than the other girls because they got Don, Vondale and me for husbands.

Shucks the whole world should know that!

Thanks for coming by the LOG.

Nite ShipsLog

(Wish I had seen this casket first!)

I once bought a $200 power panel for $15. Of course we search for books as a priority. Living in a Motor Home, you do not accumulate much. We have one (Not too stringent rule) Something IN? then something OUT! We do pretty well stick to it.

Well I guess I have rambled enough. Thanks for coming by the Log. I appreciate it.

Nite ShipsLog

PS: